Cook well. Eat well. Drink well.

Beer & Bikes @ Bentspoke Brewing Co., Braddon, ACT

I was lucky enough to see my friend David for the second time in a few months, as he returned to Canberra for two days due to work. David had learnt of Bentspoke Brewing Co. before he arrived and organised a group of his friends to meet there.

Bentspoke Brewery is a microbrewery, bar and restaurant in an apartment complex on the corner of Mort and Elouera streets in Braddon. On the Thursday night we frequented Bentspoke, the two-story venue was packed, which I hear is a regular occurrence. Regardless, we were lucky to find an area that seated the 6 of us without waiting for a table.

The brewer at Bentspoke is Richard Watkins, former head brewer at Wig and Pen in Civic and the beer selection is comprehensive, which includes the Barley Griffin (a Canberra ale), Morts Gold (a pilsner) and Dick Tracy (a fruity brown ale). On the night we were there, the boys were intrigued by the beer titled Big Nut – a dark ale with roasty coffee, nutty and hoppy flavours.

Bentspoke is split over two levels, with the restaurant style food menu upstairs and downstairs as a bar. Bentspoke’s brewery tanks are on full display behind the bar and there are a lot of bike parts around the venue, referring to its namesake.

For my first beverage, I chose a small glass of the Adam’s Cider ($7.50/$11) – a hand-crushed, in-house blend of Batlow grown Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples. I loved this cider, which wasn’t overly sweet and the apples held their refreshing flavour.

For my second glass, Jackson recommended Mort’s Gold ($7.50/$11) – a crisp, hoppy pilsner which arrived with quite a foamy head. A, Jackson and I loved this beer and I’m keen to get back soon to sample it again. It’s a perfect choice if you’re not the biggest fan of beer as well, as it doesn’t have an intense flavour.

Other beers on offer include Crankshaft (IPA), Loose Nut (an infused beer with truffles, star anise and blood orange) and Braddon Bitter (malty and bitter) – all unique in flavour. And in case you don’t like beer, Bentspoke have a selection of local wines to choose from so there’s definitely something for everyone!

In regards to food options, Bentspoke’s menu is their take on a classic pub menu – which aims to pair their food with their beers and cider and uses the best available local, fresh produce available.

David and Jackson, both from WA, made comparisons to the Little Creatures brewery in Fremantle, an institution in Perth for fantastic beer and food.

I’m looking forward to returning soon for a try of their food menu, and of course, more beer!